The DOs & DON’Ts of Retail

Basic tips for an effective retail environment

When creating a retail environment, there are an infinite amount of approaches to putting it together effectively. However, there are some basic things that should not be overlooked or should be avoided to ensure your store looks and performs at its best. After working with so many retail spaces, whether creating a display for a store or designing a full store environment, we’ve learned a few things about the Dos and Don’ts of retail.

The DOs.

Do create inviting, engaging environments that shoppers will love to be part of.

A shopping trip should be about more than just a purchase – it should be about having an enjoyable experience that creates excitement. People are highly visual, so it is important to put in time and thought into the layout and design of your store to create a space that is visually attractive and enticing. Every retail environment will be different depending on the brand and its’ retail location needs. Colors, furniture, and layout all play a huge roll in what your space conveys to your customers, so keep the design uniquely reflective of your brand. As different as retail locations will be, the one thing all brick-and-mortar stores should have in common is creating an easy way for shoppers to explore and interact with products. A goal of any store is to sell things inside of it, so make sure merchandise is placed and arranged in a way that not only looks great, but allows for easy viewing, touching, and exploring.

Do feature displays that will create interaction between customers and products.

Customers love to touch and feel products in store. Tangible interactions are what leads to higher chances of a sale. Being able to play around with a product and explore all of its features and benefits lets the customer know if the product is right for them by creating a more emotional connection. When we created the Moto 360 Retail Display for Motorola, product interaction was a huge factor of the design. For a product like a smartwatch, it was crucial that customers could easily try on the watch and interact with it to discover every feature Google’s Android platform offered. By seeing how the Moto 360 looked on their wrist and experiencing the user interface firsthand, shoppers were able to connect with the product and easily see how it could be part of their everyday lives, leading to a purchase.

Do create eye-catching window displays that will pull customers into the store.

It’s important to have appeal both inside and outside of the store. Display windows are the face of your store which should get the attention of shoppers and lure them inside. You can tell your brand’s story in a number of ways by combining colors, shapes, patterns, and lights for window displays throughout the year to always keep things fresh, fun, and interesting. With our TAG Heuer window execution for the brand’s Oxford, England location we used bright LED colors and dynamic video content that was able to be seen from a distance to attract shoppers, giving the window intrigue and a luxurious flare. With our Berluti execution, we treated the store’s front windows as a gallery, featuring colorful pieces by artist Tobias Tovera that were impossible to walk past without stopping and appreciating their dynamic beauty. The art of visual merchandising allows your creativity to run wild when expressing your brand through window decor – There are no limits to creating incredible store fronts that will impress customers.

Do intergrade technology into the mix.

Putting a modern flare on a classic brick-and-mortar space can impress shoppers and create instant stand-out appeal. Video screens, touch tablets, beacons, and LED signage are just some examples of how to incorporate technology into a retail environment. When creating the BEYOND Room for the Bed Bath & Beyond Brooklyn store, we incorporated large LED screens which acted as major focal points. The 6 narrow screen and main large screen provided aesthetic appeal through graphics, but also displayed store and product information using dynamic text. The content on the screens was able to be seen by shoppers from outside of the store and added unique visual intrigue to the space. Adding touches of technology to your store can give you a leg up on the competition and can create a better shopping experience for customers. Such modern retail elements can influence consumer behavior by creating convenience, intrigue, and an overall positive impression that can lead to repeat visits and increased sales.

Do offer amazing customer service.

As much as store design plays a part in the shopping process, an even bigger part is how a customer is treated and taken care of. Customer representatives’ skills are vital when it comes to making shoppers feel welcome and comfortable. It is important to give your associates proper training and tools to empower them with the ability to provide a flawless, friendly, and convenient in-store experience that will make shoppers want to return. Engaging, friendly, knowledgeable associates can make all the difference when helping a customer and closing a sale. And remember to take initiative to listen and learn from your customers to always keep improving. There should also be a way for them to provide feedback on their in-store experience, whether it is a form they fill out at your location or one that you e-mail to them in a follow-up marketing effort…Which brings us to the next point.

The DON’Ts.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to collect customer information.

Names, emails, and phone numbers are golden pieces of information that can create a link for communication between you and your customer after they leave the store. Having this information allows you to follow up with customers later with messages about promotions and sales, encouraging repeat business and establishing an ongoing relationship. When asking customers to provide you with things about themselves, offer them an incentive such as a discount for their next purchase to encourage them for the exchange of info. Incorporate a touch tablet which customers can use at checkout to make the process quicker and easier for them. Gathering information digitally will also lead to less mistakes than having to decipher eligible handwriting and can be incorporated into an existing CMS system automatically to have all the information efficiently organized in one database.

Don’t let your store environment go unattended.

The maintenance of your retail space should always be top priority. A poor initial presentation will create a bad impression, turn off customers, and risk losing sales. As mentioned before, customers love to touch products when deciding what to buy. While such behavior should be encouraged, it can result in a cluttered, messy environment. Store associates should be prompt to maintaining proper product presentation throughout the day to keep the store looking great. If your store contains any lighting or displays that are not functioning correctly, a maintenance worker should be called in right away. Broken lighting can create and unflattering atmosphere and non-functioning displays can lead to products or product information not being shown properly. This can lead to uninformed or unsatisfied customers and lost profits.

Don’t sacrifice functionality.

Stores can be fun and full of amazing features, but don’t make the environment inconvenient for customers to move around and shop in by cluttering it with too much merchandise or too many bells and whistles. If limited space is an issue, think of ways to get the most out of your store’s square footage in the most practical, clever ways. For example, screens hung on walls as dynamic signage and displays with a small footprint for product showcasing can be implemented to work with a small space while still getting the most function and effectiveness.

Don’t be afraid of change.

Giving your space a face-lift is a great way to refresh the environment and show customers that you are evolving to fit their needs and give them a better shopping experience. Whether it’s new furniture, new technology, or even an entire store re-design, customers always take notice of updated elements and will appreciate such additions improvements. These efforts show customers that you are thinking of them, their wants, and their needs. Adapting to contemporary customers and trends keep your brand ahead of the competition and create a more elevated experience for shoppers to make their shopping journeys more enjoyable.